Appliance for public amusement.



A. G. SNBLL.

APPLIANGB PoR PUBLIC AMUSBMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 12, 1910.

Patented N 0V. '7, 1`911.

COLUMBIA PLANQGHMH Co., wAsmNn'roN, D. c.

UNITED STATES` PATENTI OFFICE.

ALFRED CANNAN SNELL, 0F LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAMRIGI-ITER COMINGS, OF WHARNCLIFFE, WIMBLEDON PARK, SURREY, ENGLAND.

APPLIANCE FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 12, 1910.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911. Serial No. 592,085.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED CANNAN SNELL, a subject of the King ofEngland, residing at London, in the county of Middlesex, England, haveinvented certain new and useful VImprovements in Appliances for PublicAmusement, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to amusement appliances in the shape ofhorizontal roundabouts for use at places of public resort, such asexhibitions and fairs, and is intended to introduce more interestingfeatures therein, and to provide a competitive element.

In many cases hitherto, rotation has been given to a series of suspendedcars, or modelsof horses, accompanied often by vertical oscillation: orto passenger accommodation vessels free to swing laterally in responseto centrifugal force. The sensation of motion is the principal source ofenjoyment in such public amusements.

It has been proposed to employ a rotatable smooth level platform and anon-rotating landing in close juxtaposition thereto, and to assemble thepassengers aboutl the center of the platform, which has means providedfor rotating same in a manner to develop centrifugal force sufficient toexpel the occupants therefrom. They then are projected into thesurrounding non-rotating landing.

In my invention I accommodate the passengers in seats at thecircumference of the rotating platform, whereby a passenger, if soinclined, may remain merely a spectator (subject to, and thereforeunderstanding, the forces opposed to those who enter into a competition)and therefore able to enjoy the scene and sensation without beingcompelled to resist a liability to be expelled from the initialposition.

In order to create amusement I offer a prize or honor to the rst personto attain a given object. This is so arranged as to involve a voluntarymovement, in opposition to centrifugal force, from a position where therestraining force is a maximum and equally affecting all, in accordancewith natural laws.

rIhe better to explain my meaning reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings in which- Figure 1 is a section of one form of my invention,and Fig. 2 is a section of a modilied form of the same.

smooth circular track D below. The seating E extends around thecircumference whereby the sitters are placed facing inwardly, the backbeing inclined forward to make a comfortable posture when centrifugalforce obtains. By this arrangement the resultant of the vertical forceof gravity and the horizontal centrifugal force is, as shown by thearrows in Fig. 1, directed longitudinally through the body of thesitter. IVith an upright seat, or an outwardly inclining back, the headwould be forced uncomfortably in the case of passengers wearingheadgear. The seating is wide at the base F so that the sitters heelscannot be drawn under him, thus adding to the difculty of rising'.Access to the seating can be obtained through a doorway in a suitablebreak in the continuity of the seating.

Rotation of the platform may be effected conveniently by an electricmotor G bolted to the platform and driving a worm wheel H, which gearswith the wheel I rigidly attached to the fixed shaft B. Current issupplied by wires G1 feding from circular contact rails G2 carried bysupports G3 below the platform. This method of producing rotary motionmay be varied in numerous ways according to the character of poweravailable and is vonly illustrated for clearness of explanation, as anywell known method of attaining rotation may be used.

The object of competition for which a prize is given may be the graspingand detachment of a ball J, but while suflicient speed of rotation ismaintained the passenger is almost helpless in his seat, as thecentrifugal force is acting against his efforts to attain the necessaryposture or position. To give equal chance to all passengers the ball maybe made to travel around with the platform, but at a slower speed, sothat it lags behind and is apparently traveling in the reverse directionto the platform. This may be readily effected by a standard K carrying(free to rotate) a pair of united sprocket wheels L and M, the wheel Lreceiving motion by chain gearing from the ...un un. v.

jby an inclined cone shaped platform Q, up which the passengers mustwalk in order `to grasp said ball.

"ports the'arm on a circular track P.

sprocket wheel N inY the rigid center post (to which it is keyed), andthis motion is 4finally conveyed to the loose sleeve O carmany othermodifications will suggest themselves.

1 In Fig. 2 I have shown a slightly modied construction, wherein theball J is mounted centrally and vertically, and is surrounded In 'eachcase it willL be seen that a prize is .offered which is in such aposition that centrifugal force acts against the efforts of thepassenger to attain it thereby creating much amusement and allowing aninteresting com- -*petition to 'accompany the pleasure of the ride.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention ,and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declarethat what I claim is 5.21.0l

rotating platform, inwardly facing seats l. An amusement appliance,embodying a disposed near the edge of said platform and jrotatabletherewith, and an object to be grasped disposed inside of the path ofrotation of said seats and beyond the reach of a passenger when seatedthereon.

2. An amusement appliance, embodying a 'rotating platform, inwardlyfacing seats dis- 4. An amusement appliance, embodying a 1 'rotatingplatform, a seat disposed near the edge of said platform, and -a basefor said seat wider at its bottom than said seat to prevent the feet ofthe occupant from being v drawn under said seat.

5. An amusement appliance, embodying a rotating platform, an inwardlyfacing seat disposed near the edge of saidplatform, and a back for saidseat inclined inward toward its top.

6. -An amusement appliance, embodying a rotating platform, a seatdisposed near the edge of said platform, a base for said seat wider atits bottom than said seat to prevent the feet of the occupant from beindrawn under said seat, and a back for sai seat inclined inward towardits top.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED CANNAN SNELL.

Witnesses:

R. WEsTAooTT, C. SCOTT SNELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

'Washington, D. C.

